Jake Paul doesn’t believe Dana White sees his new MMA promotion as a genuine threat.
May 16 will see Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions make its first foray into MMA, streaming the event live on Netflix.
The card is headlined by Ronda Rousey’s highly-anticipated return against Gina Carano, with Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou also appearing.
Since the fight was announced, Rousey has repeatedly criticised the UFC for how they treat fighters, suggesting that MVP MMA plans to address those problems.
Jake Paul thinks Dana White has checked out of the UFC
Most Valuable Promotions is paying fighters a minimum purse of $40,000 for their May 16 event, which is higher than what many fighters typically receive on a standard UFC contract.
With MVP MMA gaining momentum and some viewing it as a possible challenger to the UFC, Jake Paul believes Dana White isn’t concerned about the competition because he’s already mentally moved on from running the organisation.
Speaking to Complex, Paul said:
“A lot of people think that I hate the UFC, I love what they do in the sport. I’m an MMA fan. I grew up watching the UFC, Ronda Rousey and the early days and I love what they’ve done but I think the whole landscape is going to change and that’s kind of just what I’m pointing out… There can be prestigious fights elsewhere.”
Paul continued:
“I don’t think (Dana is getting nervous), he’s already checked out. He’s a billionaire, he’s just going and gambling, he’s happy with his life, and I also think that everyone in my whole career underestimates me and then I surpass expectations… So he probably doesn’t think we’re gonna take over MMA so I don’t think he’s nervous.”
The most recent instance occurred during this past week’s fights when fans were not only frustrated by another controversial decision at UFC 299, but also by White being absent from post-fight interviews or press conferences.
This marked one of several events in which White has opted not to engage with media following an event.
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